A special court refused to give bail to actress Ranya Rao in a gold smuggling case. DRI officers caught her at Bengaluru Airport on March 3. They took 14.2 kg of gold from her, worth Rs.12.86 crore. The case has gained a lot of public and legal attention.
Bengaluru: A special court for economic offenses in Bengaluru denied the bail application of actress Ranya Rao, who was recently arrested in connection with a gold smuggling case.
Special Judge Vishwanath Gowdar announced the decision on Friday, although a detailed order has yet to be released.
Senior Advocate Kiran Javali, representing Ranya, argued that officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) did not adhere to Section 102 of the Customs Act, and that an arrest memo was not issued.
He stated,
“The fact that she was recorded without being allowed to sleep does not constitute a spontaneous statement. The prosecution mentioned in the remand application that three individuals have been arrested, yet no information has been provided about the other two.”
Madhu N Rao, senior standing counsel for the State, countered that Ranya was arrested under the Customs Act.
He argued,
“The law states that even if the procedure is not followed, arrest is possible if a prima facie case exists. There is a significant network involved in gold smuggling that needs to be dismantled. Forensic science laboratory records are pending, and the investigation is ongoing. Thus, she should be denied bail.”
DRI officials apprehended Ranya at Bengaluru International Airport, securing 14.2 kg of gold valued at Rs.12.86 crore. It is alleged that she concealed the gold in her belt and jacket to avoid scrutiny by customs officials.
Reports suggest that Ranya, the adopted daughter of a DGP-rank officer in the state, utilized the VIP route at the airport to bypass inspections.
Following a search of her residence, DRI officials also seized jewelry worth Rs.2.06 crore and cash amounting to Rs.2.67 crore, bringing the total value of the confiscated items in the case to Rs.17.29 crore.
Ranya was held in DRI custody for three days before the court ordered her to be placed in judicial custody for fifteen days last Monday.
Additionally, the High Court recently issued a directive against taking any swift actions regarding Ranya’s husband, Jatin Vijayakumar Hukkeri. It also prohibited 39 media outlets from broadcasting, publishing, or disseminating any defamatory remarks about senior police officer K Ramachandra Rao (IPS), who is Ranya’s stepfather.
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